Kurdistan’s Weekly Brief

Turkey (Bakur or North of Kurdistan)

The PACE committee composed of Norwegian parliamentarian Ingebjørg Godskesen, Serbian parliamentarian Nataša Vuckovic and Turkey co-rapporteurs will be in Turkey between May 9 and 12 for an observation of the running of democratic institutions. The commission had also proposed that co-rapporteurs visit Turkey for an observation, and the co-rapporteurs are expected to present a report on the running of democratic institutions in Turkey this June.

The Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK) and the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) announced a declaration urged withdrawal of the proposal for the lifting of immunities, and warned; “We are concerned that this constitutional amendment will bring an absolute end to the search for a political solution to the Kurdish issue that has evolved into a conflict again. This would be a heavy blow on the seek for peace.” The declaration titled “Do not touch the will of people and my voice in Parliament” is supported by all constituents of the HDK and DTK.

N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein made a statement regarding the ongoing military campaign in Cizre district of Şırnak. Hussein said reports have been delivered to the United Nations of the massacres committed in Cizre and other Kurdish towns, and called upon the Turkish government to allow an UN examination in the region.

The Democratic Syrian Assembly(MSD) and the Democratic Autonomy in Rojava will be holding a series of extensive meetings with officials of the American government and non-governmental organizations in Washington. Ilham Ahmad, the co-chairperson of MSD and Sinam Mohammad, the Democratic Autonomy’s representative in Europe arrived at Washington yesterday to meet a number of American officials.

The Russian Defense Ministry on Wed May 4,said an upsurge in violence by al-Nusra Front militants had thwarted plans to extend a truce to the Syrian city of Aleppo the previous day, Russian news agencies reported. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov suggested on Tuesday after meeting UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura that a deal covering Aleppo was close, saying Russian and US military personnel might announce a decision “in the coming hours”.

Turkish military continue building a 15-kilometer wall between Qamişlo and Nisêbîn, which is two meters wide and a height of 3 meters. Meanwhile curfews are ongoing in Nisebin Truce in Aleppo bumps into escalations by the regime forces and Islamic militias. Islamic groups were able to seize villages of Khan Toman, Abu Roal, and khirbit haj Izo in the southern countryside of Aleppo after violent clashes with the regime forces.

Around 100 thousand primary school students in Cezîre (Jazeera) Canton have taken the final exams of 2015-2016 academic years. The first to third-grade students have attended courses in Kurdish and Arabic while the students in higher grades attended courses only in Arabic.

Iraq (Bashur or South of Kurdistan)

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) today publishes the monthly crude oil export report for April 2016. The report details: All oil export volumes through the KRG-Ceyhan crude oil pipeline; all crude oil cargoes lifted from Ceyhan by the buyers; and the revenues received on account by the KRG during the month.

An air strike by a U.S.-led coalition killed a senior Islamic State official in Iraq last week, a Pentagon spokesman said on Monday. The strike on May 6 killed Abu Wahib, Islamic State’s chief military official in Anbar province, said Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook. The strike was on a vehicle carrying Abu Wahib, also known as Shakir Wahib, and three other Islamic State members near the town of Rutba, Cook said.

The KRG prime minister, and Qubad Talabani, the deputy prime minister, received an Italian delegation, headed by Ms Roberta Pinotti, the Italian ministry of Defence on May 9, 2016. Ms Roberta Pinotti congratulated the Peshmerga and KRG for their successes in confronting IS militants and for what they have achieved in war against IS. She shows Italian respect to the Peshmerga fighters who have been fighting IS bravely, and to the martyrs in war against IS.

Trade at the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing is down by as much as 60 percent due to the conflict across the border in Turkey’s mainly-Kurdish southeast. The Kurdistan Region’s Directorate of Ibrahim Khalil a statement on Tuesday saying trade between the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) and Turkey has decreased since 2013, but that it has fallen even lower since fighting broke out between the Turkish military and Kurdish PKK.

Iran (Rojhelat or East of Kurdistan)

Eight Iranian forces killed, 60 wounded in attack claimed by both of the Kurdish forces of Party of free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK) and Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) in Sardasht city.

HRANA News Agency – On May 5, 2016, the hearing of 4 citizens from Qruchaee village in Kurdistan province was held in Sanandaj. During the hearing for four of the defendants a total of three years in prison was issued. According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), the hearing of Afshin Hussein Panahi, Poya Hussein Panahi, Arman Hussein Panahi, Salman Hussein Panahi and Poya Moghadam from Qruchaee village in Dehgollan was held in the revolutionary court of Sanandaj, on Thursday, May 5, 2016. Four of the defendants totally were sentenced to three years in this court and the other person’s verdict will be notified in the coming days.

HRANA News Agency – Following unusual changes in recent days, the authorities of Urmia prison, summoned four prisoners, including Saman Naseem, Mohammad Abdollahi and two other criminal prisoners and warned them that considering the new judiciary procedures, there is not a long time left until their execution. According to the report, Saman Naseem and Mohammad Abdullahi, death row political prisoners, were summoned to the prison’s Praying Hall, Hosseinieh, on 26th April, and the prison warden, in the presence of social workers, told them: “your status as a matter of execution, is red and the only thing that you can do is asking for forgiveness.